Time meter



Feb. 6, 1934. c. BATTE'GAY TIME METER Filed May 22, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I (onsfam fiaffegay A TTORNE Y.

Feb. 6, 1934. c. BATTEGAY 1,945,990

TIME METER Filed may 22, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N VEN TOR. (o/7s fan 7 fiaffegay A TTORNEY.

Fe la; 6, 1934. C.'BATTEGAY TIME METER File d May 22, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

brrafam Battegay ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 6, 1934' UNITED STATES 1,945,950 TIME METER Constant mm, Luanda-Ferret, France, in-

signor to Soeietc Anonyme des Atelier-anemic FRI, Rvflloll-Pcmt, Seine,

poration of France Franeaaccr- June 3.1

Application May 22, 1931, Serial No. 539,311, and

I in France 230 7 Claim .(Cl. 161-19) My invention has for its object a time meter chiefly for telephonic conversations.

It covers a meter working at least partly elec- 6 tll'akally and combined if desired with a printing 'It consists chiefly on one hand in the electric control of the time indicating part of the meter through its connection with a time distributor and on the other in disposing between the meter itself and this time indicating part a clutch which is controlled either mechanically or electrically from a distance.

My invention will be well understood from the following description and appended drawings given solely by way of example.

Fig. 1 is a front view of a time meter executed according to my invention, the dial being removed.

Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same time meter.

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram for use with the time meter in combination with a printing clock.

Fig. 4 shows'hand operated means for controlling certain of the circuits shown as electrically controlled in the preceding figures.

Fig. 5 is'a vertical section through the structure of Figure 4, the section being taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and the shaft being shown in elevation.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the time meter is carried between a bottom plate 1 of iron and a front plate 2.

To the plate 1 are secured two electromagnets 3 and 4, the armatures 5 and 6 of which are pivotally secured respectively at 'I and 8.

The electromagnet 3 drives the time keepin part of the meter. To this end, its armature 5 is provided with a driving catch 9 engaging, when the electromagnet 3 is excited, the ratchet wheel 10 canied by the shaft 11. A pinion 12 rotating integrally with the ratchet wheel 10 is held stationary by the detent 13.

The second electromagnet 4 serves to control the clutch or carrier controlling the movable part of the meter. Thismovable part" is carried by the pivot 8 and moves integrally with the armature 6 of the electromagnet 4.

The clutch or carrier comprises two-armed levers 14 and 15 between which the main shaft 16 of the meter and the transmission shaft 1'1 may rock. To the main shaft 16 which carries at its front end the indicating hand 18 is secured a wheel 19 meshing in permanency with the transmission wheel 20 cut in the transmission shaft 17. A transmission wheel 21 is keyed to the overhung part of this shaft which, when the clutch is in,

isadaptedtomeshwiththepinionflofthe clockwork. Round the hub 22 of the wheel 19 is. wound a return spring 23 the free end of which is secured to the lever 15. I The wheel 19 carries a stop 24 which for the inoperative position of the wheel is urged against the stop 24a on the lever 14 by the spring 23. The wheel 19 carries also four pins 25, 26, 2'7 and 28 adapted to engage in succession the shoe 29 carried by a spring contact blade 30 with the interposition of insulating material. When the spring blade'is raised it comes into contact with the cooperating contact 31, insulated with reference to the casing. 7

The carrier, comprising levers 14 and 15, carries an insulating cleat 32 which, when in its in-. operative position, moves the contact strip 33 away from the contact 34 which, together with the strip 33, is mounted on the casing of the device. 7 The hand 18 moves over a dial 35 divided into say twelve minutes and protected by a glass pane. The connections are provided by means of contact pins 36 engaging sockets not shown.

The connections are illustrated in Fig. 3, assuming the time meter works in combination with a printing clock. In this figure, the electromagnet 3 is provided with a single windin whereas the electr c-magnet 4 carries two, one 37 for attracting its armature and the other 38 for 35 keeping it attracted, one terminal common to both windings being permanently in electric connection with one terminal of a storage battery, the positive terminal for instance. To the same pole is connected the. contact spring 30 whereas the contact 31 is connected through a lamp 39 to the negative pole. v The other end of the winding .38 is connected with the contact 33.

The distance control of the time meter is ensured through a key 40 adapted to enter three different positions, of whichtwo 41 and 42 are stable and the third 43 is not stable. The position 42 is that of inoper'ativeness. In the operative position 41, the key closes two contacts 44 and 45. The former 44 closes the connection between one end of the electromagnet winding 3 and the negative pole ofthe battery whereas the other end of the electromagnet winding is connected with a time distribution system illustrated diagrammatically by the contact 46 periodically closed over the positive pole by a masterclock. A time distributing system, as herein referred to, is a system whereby timed the contact 44 now open. The clutch electro-- inbringingthekeyminto its ve position 41 where it remains in stable Pig. 3 shows the connections corre to this position. The time controlling 3 is energized each time the contact 46. i. e.,

cmtrolling et 4. The latter attracts itaarmaturedwhichraises at the same time-the carrier and the parts carried thereby.

Whm raised, the carrier releases through cleat 22 the contact strip 33 which comes into eultaet with the contact 34. From this moment its contact 47. Whm the clutch is connected the transmission wheel 21 engages the pinion 12. The movement oi! the ratchet wheel is consequently transmitted to the wheel 19 through the gear nstem 12-21-20-19 and thereby to the shaft 16. Thehandiiicarriedbytheshatt starts then from are and rotates in the direction 0! the hamh or a clock.

loch time one or the pins -46-27 or 28 carried by the wheel 19 engages the shoe 29, it raises it together with the spring 30 which comes into contact with the contact 31. Current is thus sat through the lamp 39 which is lit fora few seconds warning the attendant that a pretime allowed for a unit conversation k nearing its end.

At the end or the conversation, the attendant stopsthemeterbyreturningthekeyminto its inoperative position 42 where it remains in stable oonditim. This causes the time-indicating part olthemetertostopworkingtheoircuitotthe electro-magnet 3 being energized through magnet remains however energized owing to its armature-retaining or maintaining coil 38.

etatiomry 'whueby the attendant is enabled to note the duration or the conversation. After this. the attendant brings the key a moment hitoiteposiflon43soastoopenthecontact43.

contact 34 with the the attendant provides a preliminary con-' gisedandthe armature falls, opening at-the same time the contact 33. The key is thereupon returned to the normal stable position 42.

The on wheel 21 disengages the pinion 12 and the wheel 19. under the action oiitsspring23,returnsintoitsoriginalangular position with the stops 24 and 24a in engagement. During this return movement the shoe 29 can-- not prevent the e 0! the studs 25-25-47 or 28 as the levers 14 and 15 and parts carried thereby are lowered together with the armature 6 of the electromagnet 4 whereby the path or these studs is brought well below this shoe.

Figures 4 and 5 show a modification oi the meter allowing the clutch to be controlled by hand.

- According to this modification, the electromagnet 4 is omitted and so is the key 40. and the control is provided by a lever 49 secured to a shaft 50 pivotally borne by the front plate of the meter.

On this shaft are keyed two cams 51 and 52; the latter cam which is insulating may raise the contact strip 33 connected with the negative pole and bearing normally against the contact 34 connected with the lower end oi the electromagnet 3. Y

The cam 51 may raise the levers l4 and 15 by engaging the lever 15. For this position of the movable part, the transmission'wheel 21 meshes with the pinion 12 and the gearwork oi the meter is driven by the clockwork.

The lever 49 may occupy three distinct positions, the left hand position corresponding to inoperativeness, the middle position and the right hand position or operative position. For this last position the two cams are operative whereas oniy cam 51 is operativeior the mean posi- .tion and neither cam is operative for the lefthand position.

The working of this hand-controlled device is as follows:

At the beginning of a conversation, the attendant rocks the shalt 49 towards the right whereby firstly the contact strip 33 is raised and brought into contact with the switch 34 so as to close the circuit of the clockwork electromagnet 3. Secondly the levers 14 and 15 carrying the movable part are raised and the transmission wheel 21 is caused to mesh. with the pinion 12. The device is thus set in its operative position, the hand 18 starts and rotates in a clockwise direction.

At the end of the conversation. the attendant returns the lever 49 into its mean position. For this position. owing to the action of the cams 51 and 52, the movable part remains in engagement with the clockwork. but the contact 33 moves away from the contact 34 and breaks the circuit of the electromagnet 3 which ceases being energized by the masterclock. The hand 18 remains thus stationary and the attendant may note down the duration of the conversation; after this, it is suflicient to" shift the lever 49 towards the left in order to release the wheel 21 from the pinion 12 and to allow the hand 13 to return to more under the action of the spring 13 at the same time as the wholemovable part Obviously and as stated hereinabove. my inventionis by no means limited to those terms of execution nor to those applications which have been disclosed hereinabove. It covers on the contrary all modifications thereof which fall fairly within the scope oi the appended claims.

As concerns its applications, my invention may be used for measuring other durations than the duration of telephone conversations.

It may also be used at subscribers for enabling these to control the duration of their own telephonic communications.

As concerns the forms of execution, other contacts than those described may be used for instance for warning the persons who are conversing that another unit time of conversation is going to be charged to them.

The clockwork may be also different from the device disclosed; in particular this clockwork may be constituted by a small synchronous motor fed with alternating current from the mains.

The different component parts of the time meter'may also be different from those which have been described by way of example, provided they act in a similar manner.v I

What I claim is:

l. A time meter chiefly for timing telephone conversations, comprising a driving gear, a driven gear mountedior rotation, a pointer movable with and operable by the driven gear to indicate elapsed time of operation, means tending to normally maintain the pointer in zero position, a carrier supporting both the driven gear and the pointer for movement to bring the driven gear into or out-of mesh with the driving gear, a time controlled circuit including electromagnetic means for intermittently actuating the driving gear for timed operation, a carrier setting circuit including electromagnetic means for moving the carrier into a position to cause the driven gear to mesh with the driving gear, a maintaining circuit including electro magnetic means for maintaining the carrier with the gears in mesh,

, and current switching means associated with said circuits, said current switching means embodying a controlling member for simultaneously closing the time controlled circuit and the settin circuit, while the maintaining circuit is closed at said member, for the purpose of bringing the driven gear into mesh with the driving gear and for simultaneously causing the driving gear to be periodically actuated by the time controlled circuit, and said controlling member beingoperable to break both the time controlled circuit and the setting circuit, while leaving the maintaining circuit closed at said member, and to therealter break the maintaining circuit at said membe and a switch included in the maintaining circuit and controlled by the carrier to close the maintaining circuit while the driven gear is inmesh with the driving gear.

2. A time meter chiefly for timing telephone conversations, comprising a driving gear, a driven gear mounted for rotation, a pointer movable with and operable by the driven gear to indicate elapsed time of operation, means tending to normally maintain the pointer in zero position, a carrier supporting both the driven gear and the pointer for movement to bring the driven gear into or out of mesh with the driving gear, a

time controlled circuit including electromagnetic means for intermittently actuating the driving gear for timed operation, a carrier'setting circuit including electromagnetic means for moving the carrier into a position to cause the driven gear to mesh with the driving gear, a maintaining circuit including electro magnetic means for maintaining the carrier with the gears in mesh, and current switching means associated with said .circuits, said current switching means embodying a controlling member for simultaneously clos break the maintaining circuit at said member,

and a switch included in the maintaining circuit and controlled by the carrier to close the maintaining circuit while the driven gear is in mesh with the driving gear, and a signalling circuit including a signalling device, and a switch operable from the driven gear to periodically signal predetermined periods of elapsed time.

3. A time meter chiefly for timing telephone conversations, comprising a driving gear, a driven gear mounted for rotation, a pointer movable with and operable by the driven gear to indicate elapsed time of operation, means tending to normally maintain the pointer in zero position, a carrier supporting both the driven gear and the 'pointer for movement to bring the driven gear into or out of mesh with the driving gear, a time controlled circuit including electro magnetic means for intermittently actuating the driving gear for timed operation, a carrier setting circuit including electromagnetic means for moving the carrier into a position to cause the driven gear to mesh with the driving gear, a maintaining circuit including electro magnetic means for maintaining the carrier with the gears in mesh, and current switching means associated with said circuits, to engage the driven gear with the driving gear and simultaneously intermittently actuate said driving gear for the purpose of indicating the period of time of suchoperation.

4. A time meter chiefly for timing telephone conversations, comprising a driving gear, a driven gear mounted for rotation, a pointer movable with and operable by the driven gear to indicate elapsed time of operation, means tending to I maintaining the carrier with the gears in mesh,

and current switching means associated with said circuits, to engage the driven gear with the driving gear and simultaneously intermittently actuate said driving gear for the purpose of indicating the period of time of such operation, and a signalling circuit including a signalling device, and a switch operable from the driven gear to periodically signal predetermined periods 01' elapsed time. a

5. A time meter chiefly for timing telephone conversations, comprising a driving member, a time controlled electric circuit including electromagnetic means for operating said driving member, a time indicating member normally irresponsive to said driving member, means for rendering' the driving member operative by said electromagnetic means, and means for substantially simultaneously rendering said time inch-- ntlnlmcmher relpcmivetothedrivingpower otthedrivingmembertomovetheformerby thelntteri'orthew 'motindicotingelapaed operation.

6. time meter chiefly for timing telephone converutiom,

the operations or the driving member, and a common manually operable element to actuate both cams.

CONSTANT LBA'I'IEGAY. 

